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(12/06/02 5:24am)
The IU Student Association Supreme Court heard a complaint from IUSA Senator Dietrich Willke Wednesday night concerning the constitutionality of some senators and congressmen representing the wrong constituencies.\nWillke asked the court for an interpretation of Article Two, Section Seven of the IUSA Constitution, which states a member of congress may be impeached and removed from office "upon presentation of a petition to the congress that the member is no longer a member of the constituency." That petition must be approved by two-thirds of congress.\nWillke originally filed a complaint to the Supreme Court because of discrepancies concerning 13 IUSA senators. He said some senators were representing a certain constituency but were actually in a different school or were living in a different residence than what they were representing.\n"I thought when a person runs, there would be a background check on them," Willke said in his presentation to the court.\nWillke said he not only wants to make sure he's interpreting the constitution correctly, but wants to clarify what needs to be done concerning due process of senators.\n"I want to look into the more general problem of IUSA validity," he said.\nWillke, who helped write IUSA's new constitution, said he believes that any senator found to be representing the wrong constituency should simply be removed from congress, rather than going through a petition and a two-thirds vote from congress as stated in the constitution. He said he would like to see that part of the constitution changed or clarified.\n"You need to look at the bigger picture," Willke said. "If you suddenly either by choice or by sheer bad luck are not part of the jurisdiction, you're automatically removed (in most democracies)." \nHe said it should be the same for IUSA as well.\nIn a brief written by IUSA Vice President Judd Arnold, he argued that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction in Willke's complaint.\n"Mr. Willke should follow the procedures set forth in the constitution," Arnold said. "He needs to submit a petition to congress calling for the removal of those members he stated in his brief." \nOne of the senators named in Willke's complaint, junior Emily Plotkin, told the supreme court that although she is currently representing the University Division for IUSA, she recently became an education major. Both Willke and Plotkin agreed that something needs to be done to define whether a student going through the natural progression from UDIV to another school should continue to represent UDIV.\n"I think (senators) would be better representing the University Division than another school because they've only been (in another school) for a semester," Plotkin said.\nThe Supreme Court said they hoped to make their decision in the case before the end of the year, but Willke said he just hopes they take their time discussing the matter.\n"I hope that they make the best decision for the validity of IUSA," he said. "I don't want them to rush. I want them to make the best decision possible"
(12/02/02 4:21am)
The Illinois Senate will consider a series of death penalty reforms this week in an attempt to restructure the state's death penalty laws. The reforms include an amendment, written by an IU law professor, that will be the first of its kind in the country.\nOn Tuesday, the senate will discuss the "Fundamental Justice Amendment," authored by IU professor Joseph Hoffmann, according to a statement. The amendment would be the first in the country to grant the state's Supreme Court the authority to reverse any death sentence by determining if the jury made the right decision -- an amendment Hoffmann said is needed in Illinois and throughout the country.\n"Illinois has had a series of high-profile cases where it turns out that people on death row turned out to be innocent," Hoffmann said.\nAlthough there are currently no cases of innocent persons wrongly executed in the state of Illinois, Hoffmann said the state began to look at their death penalty policies after the Chicago Tribune ran an investigation about them. \nIllinois governor George Ryan then placed a moratorium on all death row inmates until a full investigation of the state's policies could be reviewed.\nThe Illinois Supreme Court can currently review the court's procedures in issuing someone the death penalty, but cannot overturn a conviction simply by asking if the jury's decision was the right decision in the case. Hoffmann's amendment would change that.\nThere are currently 38 states that have the death penalty. Thirty of those states let the jury decide whether the death penalty is appropriate. Four states let the judge decide, and the other four allow for the decision to be made by both the judge and the jury.\nThe death penalty has currently become a growing issue in the country after the U.S. Supreme Court decided in June that only juries could hand down the penalty rather than judges. Before the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, Indiana changed its law to allow only juries to decide whether to hand down the death penalty.\nThe Illinois Senate has one more week in the legislative session to look at the reforms. Hoffmann said if the state doesn't make a decision on his amendment this week, the policy will see a new legislature and a new governor next year, although Hoffmann isn't worried about the change.\n"The proposal I put forward is actually being supported by both parties in the Illinois Senate," he said. "I have every reason to think that if it doesn't pass in December, it won't be because of problems in the Senate. I have every reason to believe it would be brought back in January."\nIf passed in Illinois, Hoffmann said he hopes his amendment could be looked upon as a model for other states to follow.\nOhio currently has a similar law that allows its Supreme Court limited power to look at the merits of the jury's verdict in a death penalty case, but no state has an amendment as sweeping as Hoffmann's.\n"This law would be the broadest and most comprehensive of the time," he said. "My only fear is that it could get caught up in the politics of the death penalty."\nIU law professor Craig Bradley said he believes Hoffmann's proposal is a great idea and hopes it will catch on across the nation.\n"I think it would be good for other states," Bradley said. "It will allow the courts to review cases on factual merits without having to find a procedural defect for cases that they don't like."\nBradley said Hoffmann's last 15 years studying the death penalty, including lecturing judges around the country on the issue makes Hoffmann a legitimate professor to author an amendment like this.\nAlthough he said he is unsure of what the senate will decide, Hoffmann said he believes his amendment has bipartisan support in Illinois.\n"I think it's the right idea, and I think there's a lot of support for it from both sides of the aisle," he said. "If the legislature and the governor look at this seriously, they will adopt this"
(11/25/02 5:16am)
The final chapter in the story of the IU Student Association's Corvette ended over the weekend with a lucky eBay shopper taking home the controversial car for the price of over $40,000.\nThe car's original "Buy-It-Now" price on the world's largest online trading center was $45,000, but was changed to $43,500 during the auction. The Corvette's buyer paid $41,500 for the car after 44 bids on eBay failed to hit the reserve price, the minimum price set by the seller.\nThe car was originally bought by IUSA to get students to vote in this year's November election as a part of project "Vote Hard." But the legalities behind the raffle and voter registration forced IUSA to include all students in the contest, rather than only those who voted.\nMichella Taylor, the winner in IUSA's raffle for the car, said she was happy with the price she got but said she would have liked to hit her reserve price for the car.\n"I would have liked to have gotten a little more, but what I got is better than nothing," Taylor said. \nThe buyer was a shopper from Madison, Wis., and was the highest bidder on the auction even though they didn't reach the minimum price. The auction ended Saturday and the highest bidder negotiated with the sellers to buy the Corvette for just over $41,000.\nTaylor, who is a criminal justice student living in Ellettsville, said she will have to pay about $12,000 in taxes on the car, which will leave her almost $30,000. Taylor and her family plan to buy some land in Ellettsville with the money after the recent September tornados swept through her neighborhood.\n"Our neighborhood was pretty much destroyed from the tornado," Taylor said. She said she is waiting to move until her neighborhood gets cleaned up.\nThe car was placed on eBay by Matthew Pontius after an article in the IDS about Taylor selling the car. Pontius, an IU law student and the IU United Way campaign coordinator, asked Taylor if he could place the car on eBay for her and give the sales commission from the Corvette to the United Way.\nPontius said he has been wholeselling cars for around eight years to help pay for school and living expenses.\n"It was my intention to help Mrs. Taylor maximize her return on the car by entering the warmer markets," Pontius said in an e-mail. "I also hoped that word would leak out that some of the proceeds went to the United Way and subsequently back into our community."\nHe said the student body has donated no money to the United Way this year.\nIUSA vice president Judd Arnold said he was happy the Corvette is impacting Taylor's life in a positive way.\n"It's making a difference in her life and that's a good thing," Arnold said. He said he was glad to see that the sales commission from the car will go to the United Way.\n"It just shows a lot after winning such a great prize that she has peace of mind and the grand view that there are people more needy than she is," he said.\nNow that the Corvette is sold, Arnold said he wasn't sure if he would do the same things if he had to do project "Vote Hard" over.\n"I don't regret doing something unconventional," he said. "We're trying to lower tuition, we're trying to give students a voice. I don't think students can see that as a bad thing."\nStudent body president Bill Gray said he couldn't be more pleased that Taylor is benefiting from winning the car.\n"Michella is a very, very hard-working student and her efforts to succeed are absolutely incredible," he said. He said he was also unsure what he would do if asked to do project "Vote Hard" again.\n"I think that we certainly tried to do a good thing," Gray said. "With everything that happened, I was just constantly amazed and lifted by the help of just about the entire student body throughout this whole thing and I couldn't have asked to have any more support. I'm glad to have done something to have helped."\nWith the Corvette ready to be taken to its new owner in Wisconsin, Taylor said she was pleased with IUSA's project and how it turned out.\n"Some people might have been upset because it was a car, but you have to be realistic and buy what is going to intrigue students to do something," she said.
(11/20/02 4:57am)
The IU Student Association passed a bill Monday that would allow all student organizations to apply for a Student Organizational Account, which would give all groups equal access to monetary services provided by the University.\nThe standing policy, approved by the IU board of trustees in 1978, excluded political and religiously-affiliated student groups from receiving an SOA.\n"I was talking to the president of the Muslim Student Union who said he didn't feel like a real student because he couldn't get a phone in his office because that falls under telecommunications," IUSA Vice President Judd Arnold said following the meeting Monday.\nArnold, the sponsor of the bill, said the policy will not give money toward organizations, but will provide equal access to University services like rooms in the Indiana Memorial Union, access to motor pools and telecommunication services. It would also give organizations some tax-free exemptions on their group-related purchases.\nThe bill will have to be presented in front of the board of trustees to change the current standing policy. \nAssistant Dean of Students Jim Gibson said the reason the policy was put into effect in the first place was to avoid giving student money to certain groups that some students may not support. IUSA's bill will encourage the board to change the policy, which would allow groups SOA cards, but not money directly from the University.\n"With any decision, with any policy as an administration, you have to be able to review it," Gibson said, referring to the 1978 policy. "Especially when student groups raise the issue."\nThe change in policy would not allow political or religiously affiliated groups access to funds through the Commitment to Assist Student Initiatives, which is direct money given to organizations out of an almost $140,000 pot. A group of nine students decide and approve what organizations should get what money from CASI.\nGibson said the funding for SOAs come from the student activity fee collected every semester by the Office of the Bursar. On average, a student pays $2.12 every semester for SOAs.\nKatie Sammons, the student contact for the Campus Baptist Ministries, said it would be nice for organizations to be able to use services like the IMU for weekly meetings. She said although she doesn't agree with student money going towards all groups, she believes political and religious groups have as much right to meet in places like the IMU as any other organization.\n"I don't think it's right to charge the students for this sort of thing," Sammons said. "I believe in the gospel, but I understand some people don't. I can understand why people wouldn't be supporting (my view)."\nHer organization, which meets weekly in the McNutt Quad formal lounge, does not currently receive benefits from an SOA account because of their religious affiliation.\nIUSA Senator Dietrich Willke, who supported the bill, said having an SOA card allows organizations to do much more than they would be able to without one. He said organizations are treated better and are on more equal footing when they have a SOA account.\nRecently, the topic of mandatory student fees contributing to political or religious organizations has become a growing issue. \nAt the University of Wisconsin-Madison, mandatory student activity fees used for student organizations that engage in political or ideological activities was judged as violating the First Amendment after the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case in 1998. This change in IU's policy wouldn't necessarily violate the U.S. Constitution because the University is indirectly helping student organizations.\n"I think there are probably some legal issues that certainly I'm not qualified to answer completely," Gibson said. \nTrustee Sacha Willsey said she was unsure how IUSA's bill will be received by the board.\n"I know (the board) always listens to what the students want," Willsey said. "That's the main concern."\nGibson said he would be surprised if the board gave a simple yes-or-no vote on the matter.\n"We need to make sure our student organizations are treated as fairly and equitably as possible," Gibson said. "I think this is the kind of work student government should do and does do that really looks out in the best interest of students"
(11/18/02 4:58am)
As Bloomington awaits the Indiana Supreme Court decision on whether the city can limit the number of non-related people living under the same roof, some IU students are concerned with how the zoning ordinance could affect where they live in the next few years.\n"It's going to limit the number of places I'm going to live," said sophomore Emily Reid. "I can understand (the community's concern), but then again, it's a college campus."\nReid is concerned with the ongoing case of the controversial occupancy law in Bloomington that says no more than three unrelated persons can live in the same house. The ordinance, which was put into effect in 1985, was questioned in 1996 when Peter Dvorak and his tenants were sued because Dvorak violated the ordinance by over-occupying his property.\nOn Nov. 7, the Indiana Supreme Court held a hearing on the case. The court generally takes about five to six months to give a verdict.\n"I think it's ridiculous," Reid said. "I can understand how the community would want to put restrictions, but having three people does seem kind of ridiculous."\nReid is living in the Varsity Villas apartments this year but is considering living in a house next year. She said the ordinance could cause her to rethink her housing situation within the next few years.\n"I want to be able to live with more than three people and I think I have a right to do that," Reid said. Reid said she would be surprised if the ordinance will be considered legal.\n"I don't see how it can be constitutional," Reid said. "Maybe if it was like eight (people)."\nJunior Jessica Smith lived off-campus this summer in a house with five bedrooms. Some community members view the ordinance as "anti-student," something Smith agrees with.\n"Part of being in college is being with your friends," Smith said.\nPresident of the Garden Hills Neighborhood Association Phil Worthington said he doesn't believe the ordinance is "anti-student" but is a simple city code. He said a similar ordinance like this exists in cities that aren't college communities.\nIn 1985, when the ordinance was first put into effect, Worthington said 70 to 75 percent of Bloomington neighborhoods were owner-occupied. Now, he said the neighborhoods are close to 98 percent rental. Only one family owns their house in Worthington's neighborhood.\n"I'm sorry that students think its designed for them," Worthington said. "You have to ask students that if they are being excluded from these neighborhoods, why are they dominating the neighborhoods?"\nWorthington said that although some people might view the ordinance as discriminatory against students, the objective behind the ordinance is to simply reduce noise, trash and traffic within the neighborhoods.\nLaw student Dave Rivera, who is currently living off-campus, said he believes Bloomington is either family or student-based and students are the only ones affected by the ordinance. \n"I don't think you need to go one step further and punish those that might not cause a party ruckus but still want to find a better deal on housing," Rivera said. "People party, but I think people will party anyway."\nWith the upcoming court decision, Rivera said he hopes the matter can get resolved.\n"We're all adults here," he said.
(11/13/02 8:21pm)
The Board of Publications unanimously chose Kathryn Helmke as the spring 2003 editor in chief of the Indiana Daily Student Tuesday afternoon. Helmke will take over the IDS helm at the beginning of the spring semester.\n"This is a position I never expected to be in," Helmke said following the board's selection.\nCurrently managing editor of the IDS, Helmke's past positions have included campus and region editor, as well as copy editor for IDS Weekend. \n"In the course of the last few semesters, I really became involved in the IDS," Helmke said. "This is just sort of a natural step for me."\nTo be considered for the top position, Helmke had to fill out a six question application and had to stand in front of the publications board of nine members to answer any questions they had on how she would run the newspaper during her tenure. \nAfter some deliberation by the board, Helmke was unanimously chosen. Helmke said it was a little intimidating speaking in front of the board, but she managed to get through it.\n"My experience here has shown me that I really know the IDS," Helmke said.\nAs editor in chief, Helmke plans to reorganize the newspaper's copy desk, help make the new media desk more a part of the production process, and will continue to stress diversity in news coverage.\nCurrent Editor in Chief Aaron Sharockman said Helmke has shown all the qualities needed in her new position.\n"She's had to handle many large scale projects that she will definitely cross again as editor," Sharockman said. "I think Kathryn is an excellent choice to lead the Indiana Daily Student in the spring."\nNancy Comiskey, the interim publisher of the IDS and also a member of the pub board, said Helmke's experience thus far will help her lead the paper next semester.\n"I think when you're a managing editor of a paper, you have to understand the different working parts of the paper," Comiskey said. "The more experience you have in those departments, the more effective leader you're going to be."\nComiskey said the search for both IU's next president and athletic director will be two main issues for the paper next semester.\n"I'm really excited about working with Kathryn," Comiskey said. "I think Aaron Sharockman and his staff has had a wonderful semester, and I expect Kathryn to build on that success"
(11/13/02 4:59am)
An IU Student Association member has filed a request for the interpretation of the student government's constitution concerning the placement of some IUSA senators.\nDietrich Willke, a senator himself and a member of IUSA's membership committee, filed a request to the IUSA Supreme Court Nov. 6, asking for an interpretation of Article II, Sections One and Nine, both portions of which control the jurisdiction of IUSA senators. Willke wants the court to determine whether some senators are representing the correct constituencies. \n"As a senator of IUSA, I want to make sure that IUSA is a valid organization," Willke said in his request.\nAs part of IUSA policy, a senator must represent his or her certain school. Willke's complaint is that some senators are not representing the correct group of students.\n"Some of the actual congressmen and senators are holding the position without having jurisdiction over the position," Willke's letter said. Willke is asking for the court to remedy this problem "so that individuals who truthfully represent their constituents can occupy the congress seats."\nWillke has been involved with IUSA for the past five years and said he wants to make sure IUSA is treating the students fairly.\n"There are always allegations that IUSA doesn't respect the students," Willke said.\nLast week, Willke voiced opposition to IUSA executives for appointing IUSA Treasurer Blair Greenberg to IU's presidential search committee though he did not formally apply for the position.\nWillke began questioning senator's positions when he was originally listed as a senator for the College of Arts and Sciences. Willke is actually a student in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He said he was unsure why he was originally listed by IUSA as a representative for COAS, but said it may have been because he was elected by write-in vote.\nWillke named 13 senators in his request that may be violating the constitution by representing the wrong people.The letter was sent to Samara Mindel, internal affairs committee chairwoman for the IUSA Supreme Court. \nIn her response to Willke and the respondents named in the letter, Mindel said the senators mentioned have until today to file a brief in their defense, proving whether they do or do not represent their proper constituency.\nSome said that Willke's letter is just part of a misunderstanding.\nJames Motter, the chief policy adviser for the IUSA executives, said he believes one of the reasons some of the senators named are not representing the right constituencies is because those senators switched their major.\nSome of the students mentioned represent the University Division, a division for mostly freshmen and sophomores who haven't declared a major, but are actually students in COAS. Motter said he believes some senators ran for the UDIV because they were in that division during the election, but have recently declared a major and are now out of the division. \nHe said a switch from UDIV to another school isn't as big of a problem as a switch from one school to the next.\n"If you're switching from business to HPER, it's a big deal," Motter said. He said he thinks anyone that has a dramatic switch such as changing from school to school should be pulled out of office.\n"You can't really argue that a business major that once was a HPER major can clearly represent the HPER constituency," Motter said.\nCristina McGinnis, who was named in Willke's letter, said during the election, she ran for a senator representing the HPER school, but was actually enrolled in UDIV. She is now applying for the school, as well as taking all HPER classes.\n"I don't think you should be penalized for switching schools just because you are an IUSA senator," McGinnis said. "I think it's just all a huge misunderstanding."\nMcGinnis said she will probably file a brief to the supreme court to explain her position as senator.\nAlthough IUSA's constitution was recently rewritten, Motter said he believes the election code and bylaws need to be changed. He said he believes the problem is due to a gray area in the bylaws and those who bring up problems in the constitution should not be given a hard time for being concerned.\n"To the best of my knowledge, there is no intentional fraud by the executives or Congress," Motter said.
(11/06/02 6:59am)
The rain met with a dreary turnout Tuesday as most students failed to make it to the polls to vote in this year's general election.\nIn the Bloomington 10 district, located in the Willkie Quad Center Building, the poll workers had only 16 voters turn out at just after 4 p.m., two students and 14 from the community.\n"Nobody gives a rat's ass," said Bernie Pickel, the voting inspector for Bloomington 10. "They just don't care."\nPickel said she thought the rain had no effect on voter turnout, but that student's voter apathy was the main cause.\nThalia Angell, one of two clerks at Willkie, agreed with Pickel.\n"You can't sit back and say it doesn't affect you, because it does affect you," Angell said. "It does aggravate me that people do not vote."\nBoth Angell and Pickel said they were worried that due to such low voter turnout, the government may decide to shutdown polling places in the college dorms. Pickel said it costs about $500 to work the polls for a day.\nWillkie Quad also showed little student support at the polls themselves, with the workers being over the age of most college students.\n"I'm basically going to be sitting here until I'm 100-years-old if people don't start coming in and picking up these jobs," Angell said.\nAt the polling place in Read Center, the turnout was up around 5 p.m., with about 60 voters coming through plus a few absentee ballots. One of those absentee ballots was sent in by IU President Myles Brand, whose on-campus house is in the district of Bloomington 9.\nMike Porter, the inspector for the district, said the turnout was higher than the number for the May primaries. He said the turnout was average for the district, which usually sees about 50 to 100 voters. But voter apathy still seemed low to Porter.\n"Of all the voters that have come in, there's been four or five that have been enthused," Porter said. \nJohn Lawson, the democratic judge for the district, said he believes education could help students' apathy.\n"I think they need better civics courses in high school," Porter said.\nAt the Teter Quad Informal Lounge, the number of voters by 5:15 p.m. was close to 55. The Bloomington 15 district only saw about six or seven voters come through during the May primaries.\n"I was expecting a little bit more," said Stewart Eaton, the inspector for the district. He agreed that the rain had no effect on voter turnout.\n"It never affected students going to class," Eaton said. "I don't expect that to be an issue."\nAlthough IUSA's Project Vote Hard attempted to push more students to vote in the election, most working the polls agreed that there didn't seem to be a spike in voter turnout.\n"The thing people today have got to realize is that the government you will have is the government you don't vote for," Angell said.
(11/06/02 4:00am)
The position for the next student to sit on the IU board of trustees is up for grabs to almost any full-time student willing to fill out an application.\nThe applications are now available in the office of the trustees in room M005 in the Indiana Memorial Union. The chosen student will take the place of Sacha Willsey, the current student representative on the board.\nThe IU board of trustees has nine members, six who are appointed by the governor and three that are elected by alumni. The student member is one of the six appointed by the governor.\nRobin Gress, the secretary to the board, said the process begins with a review of the student applications. A 10-member committee, formed by IU President Myles Brand, will choose 10 students to present to the governor.\nThe committee is composed of seven student body presidents from all satellite campuses other than Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne. IPFW is governed by Purdue University. Those seven are co-chaired by Willsey and Tracy Edwards, an undergraduate student at IU Kokomo.\nThe length of the term for a student trustee is two years, one less than all other trustees.\n"It's easier to find someone that can make that commitment for two years rather than three," Gress said. She said generally sophomores and juniors apply, but freshmen are also welcome. \nFrederick Eichhorn, president of the board, said the committee will look for students that have the willingness to spend the time studying University issues and the time necessary to be an effective trustee.\nThe trustee's responsibilities include attending trustee meetings every month for a day and a half, as well as preparation in between meetings. He or she will also have to attend ceremonies ranging from graduation to ground-breaking ceremonies.\n"It's a high honor, a privilege, but it's also a lot of hard work," Eichhorn said.\nWillsey, the current student trustee, said she is excited to help pick the student that will replace her position.\n"I believe very much in empowering other people, giving power away when you have it," Willsey said. "I'm glad someone else will get to experience that as well."\nWillsey said the trustees need someone with an independent mind, as well as strong ideas and opinions.\n"You can't just nod and agree," Willsey said. "You have to be proactive. It's very important to bring the student body closer with the trustees." \nShe said it is important for the board to have someone that is with the students everyday, talking and thinking with the student body on a regular basis.\n"I think it's crucial to bring that perspective," she said.\nEdwards, Willsey's co-chair on the search committee, said students must apply for the position with an open agenda.\n"They need to come in with an open mind for the students," Edwards said.\nWillsey's term will end June 30, with the new student trustee overtaking the position at the beginning of July.\nThe application includes an essay and at least one letter of recommendation. The applicant must also be able to confirm that they will have sufficient time to serve as a trustee and that it will not have a negative impact on their academic standing.\nAlthough Willsey will have to pass her position on next summer, she said she is happy another fellow student will take her place.\n"Like Myles Brand always told me, the University was here before us and it will be here after," Willsey said. "We must make sure it's a little better when we leave"
(11/04/02 5:40am)
Before retiring as IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis Chancellor in July of next year and before returning to teach and conduct research at the Indianapolis campus, Gerald Bepko has one more role to play for IU -- interim president.\nThe IU board of trustees unanimously selected Bepko as IU's temporary president on Friday. The selection marks the first step in the University's future without President Myles Brand, who announced on Oct. 10 that he is leaving IU to head the NCAA, effective Jan. 1, 2003. Bepko will take Brand's place at the beginning of the new year.\n"We will not allow ourselves to take any steps backward," Bepko said soon after he was selected. "We'll roll up our sleeves and work very hard."\nBepko said his main goal is to continue the progress of Brand's administration, with an emphasis on student learning and graduation and retention rates. He also said he plans to make IU's financial case as strong as possible to the upcoming legislative session.\n"Most important is keeping the IU team focused on the agenda items set forth (by Brand's administration)," Bepko said.\nThe more than 30 years experience Bepko has will help him maintain IU's goals as interim president, trustee Vice President Stephen Ferguson said.\n"It feels really good to have Gerry," Ferguson said. "He can step in and continue where we've been headed for the last period of years. There's no transition, there is no change in direction."\nBefore moving to Indianapolis to become IUPUI chancellor, Bepko taught law courses in Bloomington and lived in Eigenmann Hall for a summer.\nHe said his experience teaching in Bloomington will help him in his new position.\n"I like to think my job is to advance the learning process," Bepko said.\nBoard of trustees President Frederick Eichhorn said the choice for Bepko as interim president wasn't a hard decision for the board.\n"It's a good fit in a lot of respects," Eichhorn said.\nAlthough they haven't yet had a chance to work together, trustee Jamie Belanger said each time the subject of interim president was discussed, Bepko's name remained a constant.\nAlthough the interim president would normally be considered as a permanent replacement for president, Bepko said on Friday he doesn't want the presidency and won't put his name in the running.\nThe search committee that will begin the search for the permanent president was also named Friday, which will be composed of 17 members, including faculty, administrators and Bloomington students.\nFerguson will chair the presidential search committee, which includes Robert Eno, co-chair of the Bloomington Faculty Council, Blair Greenberg, IU Student Association treasurer, and Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the IU Alumni Association.\nBelanger said it is important two students are on the committee.\n"They're definitely a vital part of the University," Belanger said.\nEichhorn, who was primarily in charge of forming the committee, called the task of searching for a new president one of the most important jobs the board has experienced.\nThe committee will resemble the similar group that selected Brand as IU president in 1994.\nThe trustees tried to keep the committee to a manageable size, while at the same time attempted to touch a variety of constituencies, Ferguson said. \nThe committee is looking to decide on a permanent president by July 1.\nThey said they're looking for someone that has strong leadership and is able to effectively work with the Indiana state legislature.\n"Where do we need to be and who's the best person to take us there?" Ferguson said, after being asked what qualities the committee will look for in the permanent president.\nAs the search for the permanent president begins, Bepko, who said he would serve with all his heart, mind and strength, will attempt to realize his new position and begin preparation for his new role.\n"All of these things happened quickly. I haven't had a lot of time to think," Bepko said. "I'm numb. It's like having Novocaine in a tooth"
(11/01/02 11:11pm)
The IU board of trustees unanimously selected IUPUI Chancellor Gerald Bepko as IU's interim president on Friday.\nThe selection marks the first step in the University's future without President Myles Brand, who announced on Oct. 10 that he is leaving IU to head the NCAA, effective Jan. 1, 2003. Bepko will take Brand's place at the beginning of the new year.\n"We will not allow ourselves to take any steps backward," Bepko said soon after he was selected. "We'll roll up our sleeves and work very hard."\nBepko said his main goal is to continue the progress of Brand's administration, with an emphasis on student learning and graduation and retention rates. He also said he plans to make IU's financial case as strong as possible to the upcoming Indiana General Assembly.\n"Most important is keeping the IU team focused on the agenda items set forth (by Brand's administration)," Bepko said.\nThe more than 30 years experience Bepko has will help him maintain IU's goals as interim president, trustee Vice President Stephen Ferguson said.\n"It feels really good to have Gerry," he said. "He can step in and continue where we've been headed for the last period of years. There's no transition, there is no change in direction."\nBefore moving to Indianapolis to become IUPUI chancellor, Bepko taught law courses in Bloomington and lived in Eigenmann Hall for a summer.\nHe said his experience teaching in Bloomington will help him as interim president.\n"I like to think my job is to advance the learning process," Bepko said.\nBoard of trustees President Frederick Eichhorn said the choice for Bepko as interim president wasn't a hard decision.\n"It's a good fit in a lot of respects," Eichhorn said.\nAlthough they haven't yet had a chance to work together, trustee Jamie Belanger said each time the subject of interim president was discussed, Bepko's name remained a constant.\nAlthough the interim president would normally be considered as a permanent replacement for president, Bepko said he doesn't want the presidency and won't put his name in the running.\nThe committee that will begin the search for the permanent president was also named Friday.\nThe search committee will be composed of 17 members, including faculty, administrators and students.\nFerguson will chair the presidential search committee, which includes Robert Eno, co-chair of the Bloomington Faculty Council, Blair Greenberg, IU Student Association treasurer, and Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the IU Alumni Association.\nTrustee Jamie Belanger said it is important two students are on the board.\n"They're definitely a vital part of the University," Belanger said.\nEichhorn, who was primarily in charge of forming the committee, called the task of searching for a new president one of the most important jobs the board has experienced.\nThe committee will resemble the similar group that selected Brand as IU president in 1994.\nThe trustees tried to keep the committee to a manageable size, while at the same time attempted to touch a variety of constituencies, Ferguson said. The committee is looking to decide on a permanent president by July 1.\nThe committee will look for someone that has strong leadership and is able to effectively work with the Indiana state legislature.\n"Where do we need to be and who's the best person to take us there?" Ferguson said.\nAs the search for the permanent president begins, Bepko, who said he would serve with all his heart, mind, and strength, will attempt to realize his new position and begin preparation as interim president.\n"All of these things happened quickly. I haven't had a lot of time to think," Bepko said. "I'm numb. It's like having Novocain in a tooth."\nView portions of the trustee's meeting and the news conference at broadcast.iu.edu
(11/01/02 6:08am)
The next step in IU's future without President Myles Brand will be revealed today when the IU board of trustees meets at IU-Fort Wayne to choose an interim president.\nIU Spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said the vote for the interim president, who will take charge on Jan. 1, will be the first item at the 3 p.m. meeting. The field of potential candidates has been narrowed to five. The vote comes after President Brand announced on Oct. 10 he was planning to leave IU to become the president of the NCAA.\nThe list of candidates includes IU-Purdue at Indianapolis Chancellor Gerald Bepko, former Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, former IU President John Ryan, Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Terry Clapacs and Vice President for Student Development and Diversity Charlie Nelms.\nChancellor Sharon Brehm, originally named as a possible candidate, declined the position.\n"They intend to move forward with the selection tomorrow and what to do right at the outset," said IU Spokesman Bill Stephan. \nStephan said he doesn't believe a decision has already been made by the trustees and said he couldn't comment on any specific nominee as a possible frontrunner.\nThe board is looking for a temporary president to move IU's research efforts forward and to work effectively in the upcoming state legislative session.\n"They're not simply going to be a care-taker," Stephan said. \nThe trustees have been considering the selection carefully and received input from many people, he said.\nBoard of trustees President Frederick Eichhorn said the board has discussed the candidates and what the role of an interim president should be.\n"We have had discussions concerning the needs of the University and the qualities we are looking for," Eichhorn said.\nEichhorn said some of those qualities are academic stature and administrative and legislative experience.\nThe interim president will be selected through a majority vote by the board.\nThe trustees will also vote to name a search committee to select a permanent president for the University.\nThe committee will consist of roughly 15 members of IU's faculty, administration and students, Stephan said. The trustees are also entertaining the idea of hiring a professional search committee to assist the group formed by the trustees.\nPresident Brand is interested in finally resolving the matter, Stephan said.\n"I think he wants to be helpful and supportive in any way that he can be," said Stephan said, who said he believes today is very important for the future of IU.\n"I think it's going to be a landmark day," he said.
(10/28/02 6:17am)
A 20-year-old female student was sexually assaulted early Friday morning in a lobby in Briscoe Quad, according to a police report. The student was the victim of sexual battery by an acquaintance, and the case is under investigation.\nThe incident follows a string of assaults on campus in Wright and Forest Quads and comes as students and community officials are talking about preventing sexual assault.\nWhile it's fairly common for women to be assaulted, females can take steps to avoid sexual assault, said Cathi Crabtree, an on-scene advocate for Middle Way House in Bloomington.\n"Rape and sexual assault are the most underreported crimes," Crabtree said, citing FBI statistics. Crabtree said 75 to 90 percent of all rapes on campus are date rapes, meaning the victim personally knows their attacker. But of those cases, Crabtree said many go unreported because there is still a stigma attached to sexual assault.\n"Society still seems to blame the victim," Crabtree said. \nDuring this year's Take Back the Night, Crabtree spoke about what steps females can take to avoid future assaults on campus. She said students should be strong in their voice and body language and should communicate their limits clearly.\n"When they say no, (people) should take it seriously," Crabtree said.\nCrabtree said another factor in sexual assaults is the influence of drugs and alcohol. She said if students are drinking, they should always keep their drink in their possession and should never take a drink from someone else because others can place "date rape" drugs in other people's drinks. Alcohol can also slow someone's judgment and reaction time.\n"You just have to be aware of your circumstances," Crabtree said. \nDespite the recent sexual assaults at IU, Crabtree said all students should feel safe on campus and in their dorms.\n"As long as people are conscious and aware, IU is probably as safe as anything," Crabtree said.\nFreshman Ashley Fuhry, who lives in Briscoe, said she feels very safe in the dorms, but the recent date rape in Briscoe bothers her.\n"I don't put myself in those situations, but I could see how it could happen to somebody," Fuhry said. \nOn her floor, Fuhry's residential assistants have held floor meetings to discuss what students should do in certain situations that arise on campus, which included sexual confrontations.\n"Everyone on this floor agreed that if we saw someone we didn't know, we'd tell someone," Fuhry said.\nFor students that find themselves involved in an unwanted sexual encounter, the Sexual Assault Crisis Service is available on campus for all students, faculty and staff. SACS offers a confidential 24-hour crisis line, as well as individual counseling for students.\nDebbie Melloan-Ruiz, a counselor at SACS, said the more a female can control themselves, the less vulnerable she will be.\n"It is important for males to know that having sex with someone that is passed out does constitute rape," Melloan-Ruiz said.\nCrabtree advised female students that if a sexual assault ever happens to them, they should immediately go the hospital.\n"If anyone is assaulted, their best chance to prove if anything happened is going to the hospital," Crabtree said. The hospital will then conduct an evidentiary exam. The odds of proving if a sexual encounter was rape or consensual sex is difficult, but easier if there is immediate medical attention.\n"The sooner that they can get that exam done, the better," Crabtree said. \nFrom there, both the police and the Middle Way House will step in.\nBut even with preventive steps against rape, sexual encounters are still likely to take place on campus.\n"The main thing I'd want to stress, is rape is never the victim's fault, because I think our society sometimes still forgets that," Crabtree said.
(10/28/02 4:55am)
Students attempting to logon to their Webmail accounts over the weekend found the e-mail system close to inoperable.\nWebmail and the IU Web site have experienced problems since Friday and UITS employees are working to correct the problem.\nMost students have tried to logon their usernames but have not been able to get access to the system.\n"The web technical services engineers are working to assess the situation with web page access," said Karen Adams, the chief of staff for UITS.\nAdams said the problems aren't just with Webmail but is part of a bigger problem within the system.\nThe problems have caused some students some unneccessary grief in their classes.\n"I was waiting for these emails from my professors about a a mid-term," said sophomore Elizabeth Moran. "I was trying to get on for about an hour on Saturday and then I just gave up. I couldn't wait any longer. I went on for another hour and finally got on today."\nMoran said the e-mail problems caused her to study the wrong materials for her classes.\nSenior Aaron Zubler experienced some of the problems.\n"I've actually been trying to contact professors about classwork," Zubler said. \nHe said he was thinking about trying to call his professors about class, but didn't know if that was appropriate.\n"We become so dependent on e-mail and these so-called conveniences and when they break down, we don't know what to do," Zubler said.
(10/22/02 6:58am)
A male exposed himself to a female student outside McNutt Quad early Saturday morning, according to the IU Police Department. An 18-year-old female student reported the indecent exposure to the IUPD at around 4:40 a.m., Sgt. Tim Lewis said.\nThe female saw the suspect as she was approaching the northwest entrance of McNutt Crone from the McNutt Quad parking lot, according to a police report. When she entered the dorm, she turned around to see the suspect was exposing himself and masturbating. The direction the suspect left in is unknown. Lewis said the man did not enter McNutt.\nThis incident comes after recent cases of a male intruder entering unlocked women's dorm rooms and restrooms, as well as a female being assaulted in the Wright Quad Courtyard.\nBut Lewis said the indecent exposure incident doesn't appear to be connected to the prior cases.\nLewis said there have already been 21 cases of indecent exposure around campus this year, including Ballantine Hall, the Arboretum and the Main Library.\n"It's not unusual in the context of the year," Lewis said. \nBut after the recent incidents involving female students on campus, Residential Programs and Services administrators said they hope students understand they need to remain safe.\n"I'm afraid that too many (students) feel too safe," director of RPS Bob Weith said. \nWeith said RPS tries to work with students even before they become students, making sure they understand how to remain safe within the dorms.\n"Because we always have students coming, we have to educate, and re-educate and re-educate," Weith said.\nPart of that education involves floor meetings within the dorms, which have been more frequent in dorms like Wright that have seen recent incidents.\n"Don't think of us wanting people to panic, but we want people to be smart, to be educated," Weith said.\nHeide Hullsiek, a freshman living in McNutt, said she wasn't worried about the recent incident in her dorm.\n"You always get the weirdos, as long as it's not happening on the floor," she said.\nHullsiek said she feels safe in McNutt because the residents have to use their key twice to get onto the floor.\nMichael Moore, associate director for residential colleges, said he hopes dorm floors will be able to come together as a community to help prevent incidents like those in Wright and McNutt, and when an incident occurs in the dorms, RPS administrators will call the police without hesitation.\n"And we encourage students to do the same," Moore said. "The community is only as strong as everyone in that community."\nMoore said not only females, but male students should also take precautions to stay safe in the dorms. He said students shouldn't leave their doors propped open at night and should watch out for others in their halls.\n"If something went goofy or strange in your own home, you wouldn't hesitate to call the police," Moore said.
(10/16/02 10:30pm)
Myles Brand has two main goals in the last two-and-a-half months of his IU presidency -- to focus on the upcoming legislative session and to thank students, faculty and administrators for his time spent at IU.\nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said the main issue Brand wants to tackle is helping IU speak with one voice on matters of state legislative issues.\n"I think he recognizes within two-and-a-half months or so, there are going to be limits on what he can accomplish," Stephan said. "At a time when the state's economy has stalled...IU has to be fully engaged with the state at all levels."\nStephan said focusing on state funding for IU's research efforts as well as University funding in general will be a main goal for Brand.\n"Much of his effort again is going to focus on our work with the (Indiana) General Assembly this session," Stephan said.\nWhile dealing with state funding, Stephan said Brand's other goal before he leaves IU is thanking those who have been close to him during his eight-year presidency.\nStephan said he will be taking the time to touch base with as many students, faculty and administrators as possible before he leaves to head the NCAA.\n"I think he feels these years have really been the highlight of his professional career," Stephan said. "I think he recognizes that."\nOne aspect of the University Brand will probably not engage himself in are longer-term projects, such as Chancellor Sharon Brehm's current Strategic Planning Initiative, a project that is primarily designed to figure out how IU's recent $1,000 fee will be allocated. Stephan said Brand will only focus on short-term projects, primarily ones that could wrap up within a month.\n"At this point, eight-and-a-half years into his presidency, he's charted a clear course for the University," Stephan said. "It's now a matter of, to the best he can, refining things a bit, helping to settle any issues."\nOne issue Brand will not engage himself in is the process of choosing IU's next president.\n"The choice is up to the committee," Brand said. \nBrand said it is not appropriate for a former president to comment on individuals in line for the position, but would assist the search committee in understanding the national process of finding a new president.\nThat process will begin this afternoon when the IU board of trustees meet at 1 p.m. to begin the search for the next president.\nIn the next few months, Brand will divide his time between heading IU and preparing to take over as NCAA president.\nBut Stephan said Brand won't necessarily slack in his duties to IU and at the same time will try not to overstep the NCAA's current president.\n"He will find a way to continue to assist the University," Stephan said. "It's sort of contrary to his nature to sit back and relax."\nWith only a couple of months left in Brand's presidency, Chancellor Sharon Brehm, who has been at IU just over a year, said she was hoping he would be here longer than eight-years.\n"Like most people, I thought he would be here for many years to come," Brehm said. "NCAA got ahead of our game and stole him away from us"
(10/11/02 8:10am)
When board of trustees president Frederick Eichhorn first learned that IU president Myles Brand was leaving IU to become the president of the NCAA, Eichhorn said he was surprised and disappointed, but soon realized the University must begin a period of transition.\nWith Brand leaving, the University must begin the search for an interim president.\n"We will move quickly to form a search team and make this problem into an opportunity," Eichhorn said. "We'll be working out the process over the next few days."\nThe process begins with a search by the trustees for an interim president to take over Brand's responsibilities. Eichhorn said the interim president would most likely be hired from within the University.\n"The interim president may very well be named so that he or she may begin to get acquainted with what needs to be done, but may not take office until Myles Brand leaves," Eichhorn said. He said an interim president could be named within a few weeks.\nEichhorn first learned of Brand's candidacy for the NCAA position Monday, but said he wasn't sure why Brand left IU. He speculated better pay conditions and the dread of fighting over state funding each year may have played a role.\nWhen he learned that Brand decided to take the position Thursday afternoon, Eichhorn told Brand he wanted him to stay put.\n"We thought he was doing a great job, and we wanted him to stay," Eichhorn said. "That is not to say we're going to suffer a setback because we won't let that happen. I don't think the University will miss a beat because we have great people in place."\nBrand will meet with Eichhorn and the trustees Saturday to discuss his resignation. Afterwards, the trustees will discuss the next step for the University.\nAfter the trustees select an interim president, a committee will be formed to search for a candidate to permanently take over the presidency. Eichhorn said the interim president could also be a candidate for the permanent president.\n"I suspect there will be a search committee that surveys the larger field," Eichhorn said. "We'll want to find the best possible candidates and thoroughly check backgrounds and accomplishments. I would think that within six months we would have a new president."\nBrand will serve as an administrator until his term expires Dec. 31. Brand, a unanimous selection by the NCAA search committee, will assume his position with the NCAA Jan. 1. \nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said Brand wasn't looking for another university presidency, which proved to be true in September when Brand was one of five final candidates for the presidency at Rutgers University. At the time, Brand told the IDS he wasn't interested in that job. \nBut the opportunity with the NCAA was different, Stephan said.\n"This was a unique and critical opportunity to work in higher education, but now on a national level," Stephan said.\nEichhorn said he predicts Brand, who was a strong supporter of academics over athletics during his tenure at IU, will transfer his views to the NCAA.\n"His emphasis on athletics is that they be part of the University and not an island unto themselves," Eichhorn said.\nBloomington Faculty Council President Robert Eno said Brand was a strong executive leader during his 8-year tenure at IU and will move his focus toward athletics in this new role.\n"Myles was a strong advocate for the reform of intercollegiate athletics," Eno said. "His style of management matched in certain respects the vision he had for Indiana University to be one university."\nAlthough Brand is leaving, Eichhorn said that when he talked with Brand shortly after he was appointed head of the NCAA, Brand felt that if he were to remain a university president, he wanted that university to be IU.\n"I think he's been a good leader, and I think we've made some significant progress," Eichhorn said. "And we would have gone further under his leadership"
(10/11/02 4:52am)
As IUSA's controversial Project Vote Hard wraps up, the Monroe County Clerk's office begins the true work behind voter registration, thumbing through the hundreds of new registration forms.\nLast week, IUSA told the IDS they had over 10,000 students registered to vote. Currently, the clerk's office has only received 400 voter registration forms from the entire county. \nStudent Body President Bill Gray said more than 17,500 forms left the IUSA office. He said a majority of those students have registered outside of Monroe County.\nIUSA Vice President Judd Arnold agreed that most IU students did not register with Monroe County, but with his or her home county.\nTara Stogsdill, the elections deputy for Monroe County, said it could be possible that the majority of the students registered outside of Monroe County.\n"If they did register from home, they will not go through our office," Stogsdill said.\nGray said he hopes the students who did take forms from their office took the time to fill them out.\n"This year in Bloomington, there has never before been greater publicity for the November election," Gray said. "This year, students know there's an election and are involved in the political process as never before"
(10/10/02 6:37am)
The IU Student Association will push administrators to keep a pair of key student centers open two hours later.\nBut the plan comes with a price tag.\nAnd IU's spokesman isn't sure who will foot the bill.\nIUSA's Project Work Hard, the spin-off to the group's Vote Hard campaign, focuses on campus issues.\nThe plan seeks to lengthen the hours of the Main Library and the Student Recreation and Sports Complex, raise the GPA given for an A+ to a 4.3 and make copies of The New York Times available to students on campus.\n"Basically, it's a three-part initiative," said IUSA treasurer Blair Greenberg, a junior.\nThe first part will attempt to lengthen the library's hours to 2 a.m., ideally for the first five floors of the undergraduate section, Greenberg said. The plan also keeps the SRSC open later.\nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said IUSA's initiatives could come with a cost to students.\n"You have to assume that it will entail more resources, and so the question becomes, 'Is it an extraordinary amount of resources?" Stephan said.\nStephan said if there is strong support from the student body, he believes extended hours should be accomplished without raising fees.\nIUSA is also pushing for a small revamping of the GPA system, so if students earn an A+, that grade would show up as a 4.3 instead of a 4.0.\n"What it does really is it separates the outstanding grades from the good grades," Greenberg said. \nJunior Yoni Zofan, IUSA's director of academic affairs agreed that students who receive an A+ on their transcript should be rewarded.\n"If you earn an A+, it needs to be distinguished from an A," Zofan said. "An A+ right now is really meaningless."\nZofan said he believes that once IUSA gets the backing they need from the administration, then everyone will support the change.\n"If you think about it logically, you can't really argue with it," he said.\nIU Dean of Students Richard McKaig said he has talked to many students about the current GPA scale and understands their concerns.\n"I would agree with students that if a B+ is different than a B, than an A+ is different than an A," McKaig said.\nStephan worried that a higher scale could increase grade inflation, already a nationwide issue, but was unsure about the effect at IU.\nThe GPA change would eventually have to go through the Bloomington Faculty Council and onto the IU Board of Trustees for approval, which could take close to a year to finalize, McKaig said.\nThe third part of the initiative will start next week with the distribution of 400 copies of The New York Times to students on campus as part of a semester-long trial process.\nZofan said IUSA wants to do things no other student administration has done, and this initiative is one of those things.\n"We want to get moving in the right direction," Zofan said. "We need to start somewhere, so we're starting now"
(10/09/02 5:39am)
The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming November elections came and went Monday, leaving the job up to the Monroe County Clerk's office to file through IU students' applications as IUSA's controversial Project Vote Hard wraps up.\nMonroe County Clerk Pat Haley said her office is having trouble reading many of the student registration applications sent in by IUSA.\n"The penmanship is deplorable," Haley said. "If we can't read it, we can't get it into our system properly."\nHaley's office will spend the next two weeks filing through the numerous applications, but it won't be known how many forms were sent in by IUSA for another two weeks.\nIUSA Vice President Judd Arnold told the IDS on Oct. 3 that IUSA has helped more than 10,000 students register to vote, but Haley said the number of forms the clerk's office has are well under 10,000.\n"If they do, they missed the date to get them here," Haley said.\nIUSA Student Body President Bill Gray declined to comment saying he plans only to respond to breaking news.\nMany of the forms that have already been processed have illegible signatures, temporary addresses and are generally poorly filled out, Haley said.\n"There should have been more guidance when handing out the forms," Haley said. "One group sent them to the Marion County Clerk's office."\nSome students may find themselves not registered come election day because some of the names aren't readable.\nHaley said if a student who registered goes to vote Nov. 5 but is not legally registered because of problems with the forms should come to the clerk's office.\nHaley said her office will not know how many IU students registered this year until all of the forms are processed.\nThe focus of IUSA's project was the purchase of a $50,000 Corvette designed to persuade students to register to vote in the November elections. Those students who registered would be entered into a contest to win the car. The legality of the lottery was questioned.\nIU Dean of Students Richard McKaig said IUSA getting over 10,000 students to register would be a significant number.\n"We would applaud any efforts to get students to become involved in the political process," McKaig said. "The real trick is, of course, they have to vote"